Renaissance Music (c. 1400-1600)
More general subjects:
The Munich Court Chapel at 500
Tradition, Devotion, Representation
This collection of essays is the first to focus exclusively on the Wittelsbach court of Duke Wilhelm IV of Bavaria (1493–1550). The contributors argue for a deeper understanding of this duke’s reign and acknowledge his crucial role in shaping the religious and cultural identity of the Duchy of Bavaria. By providing insights into the duke’s cultural aspirations the organisation of the court musical sources religious musical practice and everyday working life this book aims to: (1) situate the court of Wilhelm IV in the context of the religious and political upheavals of the early sixteenth century; (2) trace the development of the musical repertoire and personnel of the Bavarian court chapel between 1500 and 1550; and (3) critically assess the degree to which the Munich court could be considered ‘modern’ by re-evaluating the broader cultural religious and musical life of the court around 1520. The volume thus sheds light on the cultural ambitions of a duke who defined music and art as expressions of strategic elements that interwove tradition devotion and representation in a programme of governance based on humanist education—a duke whose foresight enabled the Munich court to quickly become one of the most prestigious and famous seats of power in the Holy Roman Empire.
Musiques et musiciens des fêtes urbaines et villageoises en France (XIVe – XVIIIe siècle)
Si les premières traces de ritualisation musicale (noces banquets…) remontent au début du xiii e siècle avec les jongleurs ce n’est vraiment qu’à partir du siècle suivant que les ménétriers ou joueurs d’instruments sont chargés de la représentation des pouvoirs et de l’animation de la vie sociale dans sa totalité (fêtes politiques et religieuses de métiers calendaires votives familiales etc.) et qu’ils se regroupent en confréries ou corporations.
S’appuyant sur son « terrain » toulousain premier ainsi que sur le dépouillement systématique de deux siècles de littérature sur les ménétriers des provinces françaises et sur la collaboration de certains chercheurs en régions l’auteur propose une nouvelle réflexion d’ampleur sur le personnage historique du ménétrier (plus de trois mille musiciens recensés) son genre son statut social (poids de la marginalité musicienne des aveugles mendiants concurrence des musiciens occasionnels comme les maîtres d’école) sa fonction sa pratique et ses formes d’organisation.
Cette étude d’anthropologie musicale historique est doublée d’une approche territoriale cette géographie ménétrière étant abordée au niveau des provinces des villes (notamment des quarante ayant abrité des corporations et confréries ménétrières) des villages et de l’organisation administrative de ce vaste espace de la Ménestrandise (royauté et lieutenances ménétrières). Par ailleurs cette histoire sensible de l’art des ménétriers est aussi celle de leur rapport aux musiques dites « savantes » d’église aux cultures musicales autres comme celle des Bohémiens.
À l’aide de nombreuses archives de tableaux cartes documents iconographiques cet ouvrage dépeint la grande fresque d’une musique historique encore méconnue malgré sa longévité et sa centralité sociale et sociétale celle des ménestrels et joueurs d’instruments.
À l’ombre du laurier
Musique et culture à Florence 1530-1570
Fruit de plus de quinze années de recherches dans les bibliothèques et archives de Florence ce livre souhaite mettre en évidence le rôle de la musique dans le dispositif culturel mis en place par les premiers ducs de Florence Alessandro et Cosimo 1 depuis la chute de la dernière République jusqu’à l’obtention par Cosimo du titre de grand-duc de Toscane par le pape Pie V. Ces quatre décennies marquées par des bouleversements politiques sociaux et culturels ont été scrutées avec la plus grande attention dans les domaines de l’histoire de l’art de l’histoire politique économique ou littéraire mais la place de la musique dans cette société en mouvement n’avait jamais été évaluée en profondeur. Observer la vie musicale florentine de cette période permet pourtant de révéler les mutations profondes des structures de pouvoir des réseaux de sociabilité et des référents culturels.
Suivant un plan chronologique le livre s’appuie sur certains personnages-clés qui traversent toute la période les peintres Bronzino et Vasari les écrivains et académiciens Benedetto Varchi Antonfrancesco Grazzini ou Giovan Battista Strozzi dont les collaborations et les amitiés avec les musiciens florentins ont laissé de nombreuses traces. En suivant les activités de cette communauté cette enquête relate la transformation progressive des canti carnascialeschi en mascherate de cour les débats musicaux au sein de l’Accademia Fiorentina le dynamisme de la pratique du madrigal polyphonique dans les milieux amateurs sans oublier les mécanismes du mécénat musical et la construction d’une musique de cour au service du nouveau duché des Médicis.
The Early Trombone: A Catalogue of Music
This catalogue documents nearly 9000 musical works specifying the trombone from anonymous pieces mentioned in early sixteenth-century writings up to Haydn’s iconic oratorios The Creation and The Seasons on the cusp of the nineteenth century. As such the catalogue provides a single resource for scholars trombonists chamber musicians and conductors to access instrumental solo and ensemble as well as choral works specifying trombone from the sixteenth through to the end of the eighteenth century. In compiling this inventory the authors have personally examined as many of the sources as possible either the original prints and manuscripts in libraries and archives or copies thereof (microfilm microfiche scans facsimile editions photocopies and photos). Relevant text passages from title pages prefaces and composer’s performance instructions are given in the original language and in English translation. Annotations discuss attributions the situation and peculiarities of sources and relationships to parallel transmissions. Extensive bibliographical information is provided to guide the readers to relevant secondary literature.
The catalogue is divided into three sections: concerted instrumental music (with solo trombone) instrumental music with trombones and vocal music specifying trombones with the vocal works representing the largest portion of the repertoire. The compositions range in size from pieces for a single voice with trombone and basso continuo to large-scale sacred and secular polychoral works with multiple trombones.
The Museum of Renaissance Music
A History in 100 Exhibits
This book collates 100 exhibits with accompanying essays as an imaginary museum dedicated to the musical cultures of Renaissance Europe at home and in its global horizons. It is a history through artefacts-materials tools instruments art objects images texts and spaces-and their witness to the priorities and activities of people in the past as they addressed their world through music. The result is a history by collage revealing overlapping musical practices and meanings-not only those of the elite but reflecting the everyday cacophony of a diverse culture and its musics. Through the lens of its exhibits this museum surveys music’s central role in culture and lived experience in fifteenth- and sixteenth-century Europe offering interest and insights well beyond the strictly musicological field.
Ludwig Senfl (c.1490–1543). A Catalogue Raisonné of the Works and Sources
Volume 2: Catalogue of the Sources - Abbreviations, Bibliography, Indexes
Until now scholars have had an inadequate picture of the scope and transmission of the œuvre of Ludwig Senfl (c.1490-1543) one of the most important Renaissance composers of the German-speaking lands. The current publication presents an extraordinary and exceptionally comprehensive catalogue raisonné for this Renaissance composer.
The Senfl Catalogue serves as an encyclopaedic research tool for further scholarly investigation: it not only presents a lively and coherent picture of Senfl’s œuvre but also helps to explore the broader musical culture of his time. At the same time the in-depth presentation and analysis of Senfl’s music provides Early Music performers with new information on repertory that adds to the soundscape of the Renaissance.
Ludwig Senfl (c.1490-1543): A Catalogue Raisonné of the Works and Sources
Vol. 1: Catalogue of the Works
Until now scholars have had an inadequate picture of the scope and transmission of the œuvre of Ludwig Senfl (c. 1490-1543) one of the most important Renaissance composers of the German-speaking lands. The current publication presents an extraordinary and exceptionally comprehensive catalogue raisonné for this Renaissance composer. Volume 1 of the two-volume set forms the catalogue of works (including lost and misattributed compositions). It is organized according to genre and provides a thorough description of every composition. Each entry includes a musical incipit comments on the musical structure and comprehensive information concerning the transmission and the authenticity of the composition in addition to many other details. In its layout structure and critical approach to Senfl's music this volume enables farreaching research into the composer's style as well as a detailed characterisation of his œuvre and thus it provides clues towards a long-desired chronology of the composer's works.The Senfl Catalogue serves as an encyclopaedic research tool for further scholarly investigation: it not only presents a lively and coherent picture of Senfl's œuvre but also helps to explore the broader musical culture of his time. At the same time the in-depth presentation and analysis of Senfl's music provides Early Music performers with new information on repertory that adds to the soundscape of the Renaissance.
Gaspar van Weerbeke
New Perspectives on his Life and Music
Gaspar van Weerbeke was one of the most successful Franco-Flemish musicians of the second half of the fifteenth century holding prestigious positions in the Sforza court in Milan the Burgundian court chapel and the papal chapel in Rome. His compositions were widely transmitted in manuscript and print sources throughout Europe and he was one of the best represented composers in the early Italian music prints of Ottaviano Petrucci. Despite the high esteem of his contemporaries Gaspar has up to now played only a peripheral role in Renaissance music historiography. This book is the first collection of research articles dedicated exclusively to the life and works of Gaspar. While the basic facts of Gaspar's life have long been known the book fleshes out the details presenting a more differentiated and complex picture of his biography. Analysis of a wide range of Gaspar's compositional output leads to new interpretations of his approach to different genres: masses motets and motet cycles. His relatively small quantity of songs is revisited in light of the confusion—both then and now—over the meaning and validity of their attributions. This book seeks to promote further research on this composer and place him in his appropriate place in music history.
Sigismondo D’India et ses mondes
Un compositeur italien d’avant-garde, histoire et documents
Cet ouvrage analyse le parcours artistique et présente une traduction analytique de toutes les traces écrites connues portant sur l’œuvre et la carrière musicale d’un compositeur majeur de l’époque de Monteverdi Sigismondo D’India (c.1582-c.1629) depuis l’Italie méridionale de ses origines jusqu’à son séjour à Rome et à Modène où le musicien acheva son existence. En étudiant les villes les cours les princes protecteurs les dédicataires et les lieux destinés à la musique chacun des chapitres suit une étape de la carrière de D’India et redonne vie aux mondes de ce compositeur italien d’avant-garde. Apparaissent alors les thématiques du voyage de l’identité nobiliaire et du croisement lesquelles permettent de penser l’histoire de la musique comme une histoire à la fois des pratiques culturelles et de l’expérience musicale.